Golf carts are typically provided with a windshield structure or assembly that is particularly useful to protect the occupants of the golf cart in the case of rain, strong wind or other foul weather. Most golf cart windshield assemblies are designed so that the front or windshield area of the golf cart can be open when the weather is pleasant. Typically, these windshield assemblies have included two panels, one a stationary panel secured about the lower front portion of the windshield area of a golf cart and a movable windshield panel secured above the stationary windshield panel. It has been known to mount the upper windshield panel such that it can be rotated or moved downwardly adjacent the lower windshield panel so as to give rise to an upper open windshield area across the front of the golf cart. But there has been a major problem with these windshield assemblies. That problem is that it is very difficult to secure the windshield panels to a golf cart because vibration and other forces acting on the golf cart directly and on the windshield panels indirectly cause the securing means to become broken or weakened and to be ineffective in securing the windshield panels to the golf cart frame structure. This is particularly true in cases where the securing means is associated with a fold down or movable windshield panel. Here the problem is even more pronounced because the securing means has to be designed so that it can be conveniently opened and closed to permit the windshield to be secured and detached from the frame structure of the golf cart. In these cases it is difficult to design a heavy-duty rigid securing structure for securing the movable windshield panel to the golf cart's frame structure and at the same time provide a securing structure that can be easily and conveniently manipulated to allow for convenient attachment and detachment.
Another problem that is significant in golf cart windshield assemblies is the problem dealing with securing the movable windshield adjacent the stationary windshield when the movable windshield is in the open position. Often it has been difficult to secure the movable windshield in the open position in such a way that the movable windshield will not scratch and bang against the stationary windshield when the movable windshield is in the open position.
Therefore, there is a need for a golf cart windshield assembly that provides a very sound and rigid securement structure for the various windshield panels and which permits the movable windshield to be tightly secured to the golf cart's frame structure when in a closed position and to be securely held adjacent the stationary windshield when the movable windshield is in the open position.